HOLT, Gilbert Bonnor
| Service Number: | 1690 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 29 January 1916 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 37th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Stratford, Victoria, Australia, 1897 |
| Home Town: | Stratford, Wellington, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Stratford State School |
| Occupation: | Driver |
| Died: | Killed In Action, Belgium, 20 September 1917 |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" |
| Memorials: | Stratford Holy Trinity Anglican Church Memorial Windows & Plaque, Stratford War Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 29 Jan 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 1690, 37th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 27 May 1916: | Involvement Private, 1690, 37th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '17' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Ascanius embarkation_ship_number: A11 public_note: '' | |
| 27 May 1916: | Embarked Private, 1690, 37th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Ascanius, Melbourne |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Stephen Brooks
Gilbert Bonnor Holt, aged 18 years and seven months, enlisted in January 1916, arrived in England during July 1916 and joined the 5th Battalion in France during September 1916. His older brother Thomas Mitchell Holt, almost 21 years of age, enlisted a few weeks later. Both were from Stratford in Gippsland Victoria. During the bitterly cold winter of 1916 Gilbert was sent to hospital with trench feet and was evacuated to England. Shortly after rejoining the 5th Battalion, he suffered shrapnel wounds to the face on the 23 February 1917. A few weeks later, Thomas, having also arrived in England, joined the 5th Battalion in the field during April 1917.
From then on the two brothers served together and went into an attack together in Belgium on the 20th September 1917. In what was known as the Battle of Menin Road, up to six eye witnesses stated that one of the brothers was wounded, generally agreed to be Thomas Holt. Gilbert was assisting stretcher bearers to carry his brother back to a dressing station when the whole party was hit by another artillery shell, instantly killing both brothers. In fact one witness said they were literally “blown to bits”. Neither of the Holt boys has a known grave thus both are remembered on the Ypres Menin Gate Memorial to the missing.